Support spring construction



April 1962 R. GOODMAN 3,031,183

SUPPORT SPRING CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 31, 1960 INV EN TOR. ROBERT GOODMAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,031,183 SUPPORT SPRING CONSTRUCTION Robert Goodman, 5325 Westminster Ave.,

Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Aug. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 53,174 2 Claims. (Cl. 267-110) This invention relates to an improved spring construction, and it particularly relates to an improvement in the construction of springs of the type utilized in beds, sofas, upholstered chairs and the like.

As is well known, beds and upholstered furniture are normally provided with a framework which includes a lattlcework or similar arrangement of springs to form a res lient support for the fabric covering of the furniture which, in turn, supports upholstered cushions or the like. These springs are generally maintained in endwise compression to form bows in order to provide a firm, yet flexible seat which adapts itself to the weight and position of the person sitting or lying thereon.

l leretofore, it was the general practice to retain the springs in position by means of clips or similar means. However, these clips often became loosened or damaged under continual usage and lost their retaining effect, as a result of which the springs tended to sag under the weight of the user rather than to flexibly support it.

In addition, the necessity for using clips or the like not only added to the ultimate cost of the materials in the furniture but also required a certain amount of experience and skill in connecting them within the total assembly which added to the cost of labor.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the aforesaid disadvantages by providing a spring construction which is easily installed without the necessity of using clips or any other additional attaching means and without requiring any special skill or experience on the part of the installer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spring construction of the aforesaid type which is far more securely held in position than was heretofore possible but which is neverthless far simpler in construction and less subject to damage and dislocation than prior spring constructions of this same general type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spring construction of the aforesaid type which is less expensive both to manufacture and to install than prior spring constructions of the same general type.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a sofa with a portion thereof opened up to reveal the spring construction thereof, said spring construction embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the springs of FIG. 1, the supporting framework being fragmentarily illustrated.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged, sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the spring as it is being attached to the framework.

Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown in FIG. 1 a sofa generally designated 10, having the usual back rest 12, back-rest cushions 14 and side arms 16. The seat or main body portion of the device comprises an interior framework including oppositely disposed longitudinal bars 18 forming sides between which are positioned springs 20. Overlying the springs 20 is a padding 22 made of foam rubber or other similar material, and over that is a fabric cover 24. Over the cover 24 are positioned cushions 26.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the bars or sides 18 are tubular and are each provided with a series of spaced apertures 2%, the apertures of each bar being arranged in aligned relationship with the corresponding apertures of the other bar (as shown in FIG. 2).

Each spring 20 is formed in a bowed contour so that its natural tendency is to retain this bowed condition. It is, furthermore, provided with a sinusoidal construction (as best shown in FIGS. '1 and 2). The sinusoidal plane of the spring is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the spring (as best seen in FIG. 2).

Each spring 20 is also provided with straight end portions or engagement means 30 and 32, both end portions being slightly offset from the main portion of the spring by a shoulder or connecting portion such as indicated at 34 and 36 respectively.

In attaching the springs 29 to the framework, one end portion, for example the end portion 30, is first inserted into its corresponding aperture or hole 28. Then the opposite end portion 32 is twisted in a clockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 4) and, while in such twisted condition, it is inserted into the aperture 28 in the opposite bar 18. When this insertion has been made, the spring is released and the end portion 32 then becomes frictionally engaged with the inner or opposed tube wall surface area surrounding the hole 28 and is held in such position by the torsion effect resulting from its initial twisting.

If it is desired to remove the spring 20 from the framework, this can be accomplished by twisting the end portion 32 in the counterclockwise direction and then removing this portion 32 from its aperture 28, after which the opposite end portion can easily be withdrawn from its aperture 28.

Although this invention had been illustrated as applied to sofas, it is to be understood that it can equally as well be used in automobile seats, chairs, sofa-beds and any other article of similar nature. Furthermore, although the framework bars have been illustrated as tubular they may equally as well be made of angle-bar construction, strip construction or any other desired type of frame construction.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In an article of furniture having a framework with opposite spring-supporting sides, each of said sides having at least one aperture aligned with a corresponding aperture on the opposite side, at least one sinusoidal, normallybowed spring extending between said sides in bowed position, said spring having an engagement means at each end, the opposite end portions of said spring being initially twisted in opposite directions relative to each other around the longitudinal axis of said spring, each engagement means having a connecting portion extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of said spring through the corresponding aperture in the corresponding side, and an engagement portion frictionally engaged with the corresponding side on an opposed surface thereof and extending in the sinusoidal plane of said spring, the engagement portion of one of said engagement means extending from its connecting portion in one direction in said sinusoidal plane while the engagement portion of the opposite engagement means extends from its connecting portion in the opposite direction in said sinusoidal plane, said engagement portions being retained in frictional engagement with their corresponding sides by the tension on said spring resulting from its initial twisting.

2. A method of constructing flexible supports for furniture and the like which comprises inserting one oifset end of an elongated, normally-bowed, initially twisted,

sinusoidal spring having oppositely disposed offset ends into an aperture in a framework section, twisting the opposite ofiset end of said spring around the longitudinal axis of said spring, inserting said opposite end of said spring into an aperture in the opposite framework section, and then releasing said opposite end of the spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,123,888 Freund July 19, 1938 2,399,563 Neely Apr. 30, 1946 2,581,761 Haas Jan. 8, 1952 2.835314 Neely May 20, 1958 

